Hi all hope your good. 1 year ago today I had a 3 1/2 week stay in hospital. Forgive me if I repeat myself. Loss of balance and loss of peripheral vision. My balance hasn’t improved although I can do thigs now that I couldn’t before (namely balance with one foot in front of the other and stand on one leg. My peripheral vision seems to be improving. Can see 45deg to the left now but its a bit like looking through fog but i can make out shapes etc. What worries me is this, am I safe from further strokes? been taking medication and not missed a single tablet. lol. What’s the chances? So many questions that not even the Doctor can answer. Once you’ve had a stroke you hear so many stories, I’m one of the lucky ones.
Sorry to go on it just helps venting my worries.
Take care everyone.
Well I’m 3yrs post stroke and I personally believe I am no more at risk of another stroke than anyone else who hasn’t; it’s life! It’s a game of Russian roulette, you just add it to the list of life’s other concerns/risks such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, going blind/deaf, arthritis, paralysis after major car accident, victim in a plane crash. Just add stroke to that endless list and shove into the bowels of your memory to gather dust. Because that’s all you can do! If you are doing all the things to lower the risk then there’s nothing more that can be done.
You have life, been given a second chance, just enjoy it while it lasts because life doesn’t go on forever and no one dies from nothing!
Summed up well EE. I don’t give another stroke a thought now, but panic attacks took me back to A&E in the first year. I have frustrating vision but slowly getting use to it, peripheral loss ,foggy underwater ,some days convince myself I haven’t got my glasses on. But glad still be here and not pushing up daisies
Good to hear you are making progress & hopefully you’ll continue to prove more over the next months / years.
No one can say whether any of us will have another stroke. I think as time moves forward the risk of it happening again reduces but as with other things in life it’s a bit of a lottery. I think it’s natural to worry a bit from time to time but you have to try & push it to the back of your mind & live your life as fully as you can.
Here’s to many more improvements for you over the next 12 months.
Best wishes
Ann x
It’s not a question anyone can answer really. I have heard that risks are higher for a secondary stroke within the first year, other information I have read states three years, and some sources announce that five years adds a higher percentage of risk. I would say that the only indication one has can be based on the reason for the initial stroke. The stroke I had was caused by neck cracking, a rare stroke called cerebellar stroke, it was ischaemic which means I am on anti-platelet medication, the chances of me having a secondary cerebellar stroke should be quite slim. If it were to happen, I would, immediately, hire a Sod’s lawyer to pursue legal proceedings against nature. However, anti-platelet medication can increase the chance of a haemorrhage down the line. Three years on, I still get the fear of a secondary stroke, it’s a brain-jerk reaction to my symptoms which, unfortunately, mirror the symptoms of the stroke itself.
Thank you. fingers crossed then.
Hi Ann. Trying to carry on but its like walking on springs.
Although I’ve managed to refit my kitchen, Build 2 decks and a BBQ shack,
I’m not giving up but absolutely shattered after a days work. My head feels like its going to explode.
Take care.
Apologies if you’ve said this lots of times elsewhere but you don’t mention your upper limb challenges in the above and I haven’t gone searching through all your other posts and I don’t have the memory to recall
I built a pergola one-armed in the first year, been up ladders more time than my wife is happy with 
pruned our trees, mended my shed roof (it still leaks 
)
Pushing the boundaries moves them backwards but it is a slow process and the prospect of regaining capability equal to pre-stroke is remote but gaining capabilities that exceed pre-stroke in different areas is a constant source of opportunity
3¢
Hi, at first I couldn’t get my left arm to the side 20deg at most. very painful but was told it was a tight muscle in my shoulder. OK now. some difficulty with cutlery but 90% now. A little numbness in fingers still. I feel if I don’t push It’ will all stay the same.
Think the fatigue is what gets me at the end of the day.
Take care.
I can’t do cutlery yet. My middle 2 fingers are stubbornly uncooperative
Yes you take care too
Caio
Simon
@Seeney wow you’ve done well to do all that. Like you after a days work I’m shattered. I also get the feels like my head will explode feeling. A sign we’ve done too much I guess.
Here’s to things improving more for everyone.
@Seeney. Hello. I remember seeing your name, but haven’t seen you much lately. (I may have just missed posts).
I like coming here for information and ideas, and know I have met people who truly understand the issues we face, even though we all have such varied abilities.
I find it helpful to be hear with supportive people who want to be helpful in this world. Heaven knows we need more of them! I hope, if it does not cause worry about future strokes for you, that you will continue to stick around and share the things you have found helpful in your recovery.
Keep on keeping on. Stick to the basics given to you by the therapists. exercise your fingers and do arm extensions to strengthen your shoulder muscles.
Set your pace so you don’t get fatigued too much. Push your limits slightly each time you can. Remember, no pain, no gain. I push myself, little recovery then go again. Keep positive. Set goals. You’ll surprise yourself.
Hi, yeh its an awful feeling. Will it ever go away.
Take care.
Haven’t been on for a while. Thought I’d be better by now. (if only)
Think it’s important to get others input/feelings.
Take care.
Hi seeney I too am now 15 months post stroke and doing as much as I can to improve and get better. It’s such a slow tedious journey and I too worry about the scenario of another stroke. I, like you take my meds religiously and hope for the best . I do know that stressing will not help in any way. I try to get on wx life and take each day as it comes. I am here and alive , still able to look after my grandkids who give me the will to truly strive for “normality” whatever that might look like. Here’s to all of us who are making this journey. May we all achieve whatever goals we set ourselves. Love suzywong
Hi, good sentiments. keeping busy with garden and Grandchildren. They certainly keep you young and alert. Am seeing Doctor at end of month for my yearly review. lol. So many questions.
Take care.
Your symptoms are similar to my own which resulted from a blood clot via the vertibral artery to a part of my brain that affected left side peripheral visual field and balance.
That was 13 years ago and I am still on daily medication to inhibit blood clots.
The immediate cause of mine was deemed to be a PFO ( a hole in the wall of the upper atrium of the heart) so there were no underlying lifestyle issues and I had an operation in 2010 to close the hole .
I am adapted to any balance or eyesight defects in the sense that the defects remain but I have learned to work around them ,as will you and it sounds like you have made some progress already.
Anxiety is normal ,I went through the same fears
My experience should give you hope that there is life after stroke.
Good luck on your journey.
Tony
Wow. I’ve a long way to go then.
Take care.
Coming up to my first anniversary of my stroke, post heart bypass, unfortunally i had a second 4 months after. Using my travel insurance as a guide they were prepared to reinsure me after 3 months with no further incidents, so statistics would suggest they consider the risk lower. My second was early October probably triggered by doing too much whilst on holiday! I guess a lot is about how you manage yourself, what do others think?